Mantra & Medicine weekend ~ Voice of the desert

⏀ Tales from the Middle East: Story & Sound Experience
As you arrive at our Mantra & Medicine weekend, we welcome you with a sound-experience, to start your journey with a sense of wonder and relaxation. Our aim is to bring back the feeling of the المجلس ‘Majlis’, which translates to “a place of sitting” or “gathering” in Arabic. It traditionally refers to a space where people come together to share food, connect with each other, play music, tell stories, recite poems and discuss things. It’s a space where the bonds of community are forged and where guests are welcomed with warmth and offered food and refreshments. In this special opening session where you will be invited to sit or lay down in a relaxed way, we blend the soothing resonance of our instruments and our voices with the captivating art of storytelling.

⎑ Silent sitting
In this collective morning meditation, we join together as one, creating a powerful and harmonious energy field. The shared stillness invites us to hear the language spoken by our soul as we allow ourselves to be fully present.

⍙ Movement practice: Serpent power
It’s known to many cultures and mystical traditions all over the world that there is a universal life force. Our life force can get activated and awakened under certain conditions to strengthen or purify us and bring us into a higher consciousness. In the Yogic tradition this force is called; ‘Prana’. In the Taoist tradition ‘Chi’. And in ancient Egypt this was referred to as ‘Ka’.
This Saturday morning movement session focuses on energising the body and cultivating a heightened awareness of the subtle energies that flow within. Pleuni will be guiding this session, inspired by Kemetic Yoga, which originated in Egypt and is practiced at a slow pace. The poses of Kemetic Yoga are found engraved into various temple walls in Egypt and the practice focuses on the movement of energy through the body. In this way we open up our system in preparation for the evening ceremony.

⏁ Ceremonial singing circle (With Cacao and Magic Truffles)
On Saturday evening we come together for the highlight of this weekend: The Ceremonial Singing Circle. On this night we combine three beautiful tools for transformation: Cacao, Mantras and Plant Medicine. The micro/mini dose that will be offered to you in this event contains between 1 and 2 grams of fresh truffles with a possible second serving. You will be free to choose in the moment the amount that calls you most, because it’s important you feel comfortable.
The fusion of singing and altered states of consciousness is a tale as old as human history. Indigenous cultures and ancient civilisations understood that the voice could carry intentions and prayers, to the divine realms. It can tap into the depths of one’s feelings and explore our innermost sensations.The theme of this weekend is: Voice of the desert. With our music we will take you to the dry desert lands of the Middle Eastern world, under the twinkling starts of the Arabian sky. We thereby want to welcome the energy of the Middle Eastern regions, right on the cusp of summer; warm, sensual and mystica. She conquers all ages and lets you plunge into the aroma of the coniferous forests of Turkey, mountainous landscapes of Morocco, drifting sands of Egypt and the warmth of the endless sea…We will sing songs in Arabic, Hebrew and some prayers from ancient Egypt. Music is a universal language that knows no boundaries or barriers. It has the power to build bridges. It reminds us that we are all connected in our hearts. Regardless of our background. when we sing and make music together, we become one and our shared humanity shines through.

You can read more about our Middle Eastern theme to get a feel for it here ⇣
More info

⏁ More about mantra chanting
A mantra is a sound or a vibration that becomes very powerful when you repeat it. Singing the ancient words with subtle intentions help you to reach a deep state of meditation. By simply repeating the mantras, you can disconnect from your thoughts. The mantra becomes more abstract so it can lead you into a place of pure consciousness. Each mantra with its different sound has another effect on the human psyche. The sound vibrations penetrate every cell of the body. When we sing these mantras together in a group, a profound sense of unity and connection arises. The harmonious sounds created by everyone, are felt deeply within and help you raise your vibration. When we sing with others, blending our voices, we start listening more attentively, feeling the energy of the group trying to find harmony. As everyone synchronises their breathing, and thereby the beating of their hearts, singing in unison, a bond forms and feeling of completeness surrounds us.

⏄ Breathwork
Breath is the essence of life, an involuntary action that sustains us from the moment we are born. In each of our events, we invite different experts in Wim Hof, Conscious connected breathing or Psychedelic Breath. Breathwork is a practice that harnesses the power of conscious, controlled breathing to influence our mental, emotional, and physical states. It encourages the release of suppressed emotions, offering a cathartic experience. This can aid in addressing unresolved issues and fostering emotional well-being. It also improves your immune system, eliminates toxins from the body and enhances your lung capacity.

The experiences and insights gained on the previous day can stir up emotions and feelings. The Sunday morning Breathwork session provides a safe and supportive environment for releasing any residual emotional blockages and helps you leave with a sense of emotional clarity.

⍙ Small group practices – Heart IQ
Over the years, we’ve found that creating a deeper bond within the group is key to unlocking the full potential of this retreat experience. When things come up during the retreat (and they often do), this foundation of trust and connection provides the tools to process emotions in a healthy way. Instead of being overwhelmed by triggers or falling into patterns of projection, you’ll have the skills to meet these moments with openness, curiosity, and compassion.This is where our group practices come in.
Led by Robert and inspired by the Heart IQ method developed by Christian Pankhurst, you’ll learn to:
– Listen deeply and hold space for others, even when emotions arise.
– Express yourself authentically, even when faced with triggers.
– Navigate challenges with openness, without falling into patterns of advice-giving, judgment, or trying to “fix” others.

Heart IQ is a blend of psychology, spirituality, and somatic awareness that invites you to embrace the present moment as a gateway to growth and healing. The experience of being truly seen and heard, of witnessing others without judgment, allows a deep relaxation to take place. It’s a doorway to profound connection, self-acceptance, and healing.

⏀ About Cacao
Cacao ceremonies originate all the way back to Mayan and Aztec traditions in central and south America. Cacao opens the heart and allows for a deeper, authentic love based connection with yourself, others, the earth and all of life.
Read everything about ceremonial Cacao here ↓
More info

⏃ About Magic Truffles
The micro/minidose we serve in the ceremony is between 1/20 and 1/5 of a full ‘journey’ dose, depending of course on the dose you decide to take. This range is carefully chosen to support a subtle, yet profound experience. It helps you to fully feel everything that is alive in you with a more heightened state of awareness. This allows you to attune to the communal energy and the power of the songs.

Feel free to contact us in case you have no experience with plant medicine, or in case you have any questions!

Read everything about psychedelics, and magic truffles here ↓
More info

⍙ Preparation
For the cacao ceremony on Saturday evening we want to invite you to put a bit of extra effort in your outfit, inspired by this Middle Eastern theme, in the colours red or black. We love creating space for self expression, so this is your chance to wear that amazing dress you never wear, or to borrow something nice from someone. Make sure you feel both beautiful and comfortable. This is a sacred ceremony. Just like we create an altar, and decorate the space, we also give some love to ourselves and make sure we fully show up. In this way we seal the space from the influence of the outside world and enter a different world in which you can fully submerge yourself. In the book; ‘King, Warrior, Magician, Lover’…this is called ‘sacred space’.

⏄ The facilitators
Pleuni Apollonia & Robert Tolenaars: As a couple they play devotional mystical music from all over the world in singing circles, cacao ceremonies, and plant medicine journeys. For them, music is a huge source of inspiration. It has the potential to heal, and take you to different layers within yourself. Together we create a space in which your inner light can shine brighter, even in the darkest corners of your existence.
Pleuni shares the path of Yoga and Healing Music with others, to help people find more peace and live a more fulfilled heartcentered life. In her beautiful space near the forest, she has given almost 200 private sessions with cacao and plant medicine so far. Community is an important theme in her work. Bringing people together and creating a safe space creates the opportunity for growth and invites you to step into your light.
Robert guides people through inner transformation processes and works with groups in a way thats inspired by the Heart-IQ method of Christian Pankhurst. In this group work you will learn how to come together with others in unconditional love, fully conscious, relaxed and with an open heart. Driven by his inner mission to contribute to the realisation of divine consciousness on earth, his journey took him from modern science, to age-old spiritual traditions, to the most effective methods of consciousness development he could find. As a dedicated guitarist since he was 16, he has also learned how sounds resonate with the soul and can serve as keys to deeper levels of your being.

Nicolle van Bakel: is a yoga teacher and breathwork coach, and also offers workshops that help you reconnect with your body and your deeper desires through playfulness and sensuality. Her breathwork sessions combine various breathing techniques with conscious connected breathing, guiding you into a more relaxed state where there is space to process and release emotions.

⎑ About the location
AVANI means: ‘The good earth’, and stands for grounding. Being in contact with yourself and the earth. This retreat and training center is surrounded by trees, and a newly planted food forest. The beautiful architecture, the natural light and all the indoor decorations make you feel at home right away. The location is very close to the “Loonse en Drunense duinen” in Helvoirt. Take a look on their website.
AVANI

Sleeping and other extra’s:
AVANI retreat has some beautiful dorm-rooms (6 beds each), private rooms and yurts available. (It’s also possible to sleep at home in case you live very close by) You can book your favourite sleeping option separately in the ticket system.

NOTE: We totally understand that life has other plans sometimes and for some reason you are not able to join this event you were so much looking forward to. However, our event planning proces takes precise coordination, budgeting and agreements based on the amount of tickets sold. This is why we decided not to give refunds, because it otherwise simply isn’t possible for us to keep doing this work.
We dó have a few options though:
– You are free to resell your own ticket to someone you know, share it on your social media, or post in our FB event. Please inform us about the exchange, so we can update the name list.
– If there is a waiting-list, we will help you sell your ticket to someone else.
– For exceptional cases please contact us.
*24h before the start of this event we are not available anymore to help you sell your ticket, due to preparations.